Just Call Me Cupid
by Crystalgurl101
Summary: There were many reasons she hated Valentine’s Day, and the two biggest ones were standing right in front of her. For the umpteenth time that day, she felt her heart sink... Late V-Day one/shot. R&R Please!


**Just Call Me Cupid**

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**A/N: Oh no! It's another one/shot! =O Okay, so I was SUPPOSED to upload this on Sunday for Valentine's Day, but obviously, it wasn't. I won't make this long, considering I don't have much to say. It's a Valentine's Day one/shot, with a few couples and a surprise one in the end! (Will not spoil it! xD) And yes, it's A LOT shorter than the last one. Only 20 pages long! :) Don't forget to review please! You know how I loves the feedback! **

**And now our feature presentation: my long overdue Valentine's Day one/shot! Happy super-belated Singles Awareness Day everyone! xD**

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Valentine's Day.

Whether you're prepared or not, it comes every year on the second week of February. It is a time of love, sex and romance. At our age, it's mostly the sex.

A time to buy chocolates for your friends and little 99-cent cards for your half-ass friends. A time for the little kids to leave cute Spongebob and Hannah Montana valentine cards on everyone's desks in school. If you're off the market, it's the time to go all-out for a certain someone and bust your ass trying to find the perfect present. If you're single and have a secret crush, it's a time of confessions--and finding the balls to confess without passing out or falling over.

Or if you're me, it's a time to pull out the puke bucket and carry it around with you when you pass by those revolting couples. With their PDA, and their pet names and their hand holding and those schoolgirl giggles…it's disgusting. Sometimes, I wonder if this "St. Valentine" guy even existed. Or did they make this all up just to torture single people and pressure them into finding someone, **anyone **just to "get in the spirit" and feel like they now belong in the little bubble world of lovey-dovey honeymoon-phase couples?

And where in the blue hell did the naked baby come from?

I know what you're thinking: I'm an ugly, bitter, hopelessly single emo loner with no boyfriend, and no friends, which is why I'm so negative about this day. Correct?

I wish…

My eyes glanced over at the alarm clock once more. '5:44 am' Now I _**really **_have to get up or else the guys'll leave me. Groaning out loud, I threw the covers off of me and sat up. The wind chill sent shivers up my spine. Goosebumps sprouted on my arms and legs almost painfully. I shuddered a little, my teeth chattering behind my lips.

Now the reason I was thinking so much about Valentine's Day was because it was Friday. The eve of Valentine's Eve. Thankfully, V-Day had landed on a Sunday, which meant I didn't have to suffer walking down the hallways at school, surrounded by horny jocks and desperate sluts with heart-shaped candies and blood-red roses.

No, instead I'd have to be a judge as Howdy and Dexter have their annual V-Day Gift-Off where they'd try to outdo each other to impress Pashmina. And watch Sandy and Maxwell blush furiously around each other like two secret crushes when they're giving each other their presents--despite the fact that they've been dating for a year now. AND witness the hysterical live comedy show that was Bijou trying to seduce a VERY dense Hamtaro with gifts and butterfly kisses. Actually…I loved that Ham-Ham tradition. Every year, Bij would reach a new level of desperation, and Hamtaro…well, he'd just get dumber every year.

I was dressed and washed up in as little as 20 minutes. Ahh, Friday. Normally, the thought of school on a Friday got me all psyched up. I'd sit in class and either daydream about the awesome things we'll do this weekend, or text someone next to me and talk about the awesome things we'll do this weekend. I kinda fed off the hype and energy from the other kids on Fridays. It was exciting really. You're in the last class of the day, watching the clock as it slowly ticks down the minutes, your leg shaking controllably, or fingers tapping on the wooden desk, the dramatic music in your head starting to climax, before you finally hear that miraculous ringing of the bell, and you jump up and run out of the hallways shouting like a madman.

But today wasn't the same kind of Friday. There was no excitement for me. Because Valentine's Day was on Sunday, everyone in school would decide to get in the spirit today and hand out their gifts in between classes. My brushed my brown hair in front of the mirror, my seafoam eyes staring at myself rather helplessly. Unlike most girls my age, I was actually okay with the way I looked. Brown hair, aqua-green eyes, pale, peach cheeks and small lips. But it was bad enough that my bangs always got into my eyes, so I usually kept my hair up in a pony.

I decided it would be fun to get in the spirit anyway by wearing a white tank underneath a V-neck red-and-white striped sweater cardigan, dark skinny jeans and red high-top Chuck Taylor's. Instead of my usual pony, I kept my hair in a half updo, clipped back with a red band. I slipped my favorite red cotton beanie over my head, and let the rest of my hair fall free over my shoulders. I brushed my bangs carefully over my forehead, making sure they weren't caught under the beanie.

I was dreading to go to school today. Not even the fact that it was Friday could save it.

By 6:30, a black Nissan was waiting for me outside.

**HONK! HONK! **

"PAGING DR. FAGGOT!"

I rolled my eyes. They were quoting 'The Hangover' again. And were they using a megaphone?! (**A/N: If the **other **F-word by any chance offends you, then I apologize! But it was in the movie! o__o**)

"DR. FAGGOT?!?"

I quickly buttoned up my black peacoat, grabbed my backpack and ran downstairs. "I'm going to school!" I yelled out to anyone who'd hear me. As I ran for the kitchen door, I skillfully grabbed a pack of Hot Fudge Sundae Pop-Tarts from its open box. "Hello, well-balanced breakfast!"

February was the coldest time of the year. Its bitter wind could cut through the thickest block of steel, and no matter how many layers you wore, you could feel its chill all the way down to your bones. Stupid New York…

Britney Spears was playing loudly on the radio as I opened the door. "Hamtaro, if you continue to yell that out with that stupid megaphone, I just might have to kill you." I glared icily at the grinning redhead, who was sitting shotgun. "Oh, and, Britney Spears? Really? And **I'm **the gay one?"

Stan glared from his spot in the driver's seat. "I cant control the radio, Crystal!" he yelled at me.

"Just drive, monkey. We're gonna be late." I sighed, pulling the seatbelt over my body. The Nissan pulled away a few seconds later. I smiled at Bijou, who was sitting next to me. "Hey, Bij! Excited?"

The European girl was grinning from ear-to-ear. "I cant wait to get to school! I have to show everyone my new Valentine's gift!" I pursed my lips. Bijou always outshone herself every year around this time with a mind-blowing Valentine's present for Hamtaro. And, Hamtaro being, well...Hamtaro, was always the only person in school who didn't realize the show was all for him.

"Let's hope so. This is our senior year, which means this is your last shot at the gift." I told her. "And try not to forget about last year's mishap either." Bijou blushed furiously at the thought of last year's gift, which involved a huge red balloon, the football field, and a thunderstorm.

"I've checked zee weather and everyzhing. Zhis year, my gift eez going to blow your mind!" Bijou gushed, turning pink and staring admiringly at Hamtaro. Earlier this year, around Christmas time, Bijou sort of confessed to Hamtaro--and by sort of, I mean, she pulled him aside and under the influence of too much apple cider, she poured her heart out to him about her feelings and how all these years, she had tried everything to get him to notice her and upstage anyone who tried to stand in her way, mostly her rival, Sparkle. She failed to notice however that while she was making a bumbling idiot out of herself, she and Hamtaro were standing under a mistletoe during her outburst, compliments of me. Let's just say things worked out on her part.

"I cant wait for it either. I didn't get to see the gift last year, unfortunately." Hamtaro turned around and said.

"How ironic considering it had **you **written all over it..." Stan muttered to himself. I kicked his seat to shut him up.

There it was. That sharp sense of envy slicing at my gut as I watched Bijou and Hamtaro smile at each other. I mean, don't get me wrong. I liked being single. I didn't have to deal with all the mushy drama couples went through. Plus, relationships are too much work. But sometimes, when I lie awake at night, I cant help but wish there was that someone special who sends me sweet good-night texts or lets me know that they're thinking about me. At 17, I've had dates and stuff, but I've never been in a real relationship. And I'm talking about the serious shit, like weekly dates to your favorite restaurant, and butterfly kisses at your lockers, or talking about your _**feelings**_. You know, things like that.

A perfect example: Sandy and Maxwell. They've been together for over a year, and they're crazy for each other. They're like the perfect couple. She's spontaneous and outgoing, he's calm and collected. He keeps her from losing her head, and she keeps him out of the library as often as possible. How two complete opposites manage to balance each other out, I have no idea. But somehow they fit, like ying and yang.

And guess who was the genius that brought them together? Yup, me! Well, not totally me. Bijou and Pashmina helped too. But we knew that Sandy liked Max and we knew he liked her too. One thing they DO have in common: they're so freakin' shy! They couldn't say one word to each other without blushing like crazy. So one day, we set them up. In fact, it was right around Christmas last year, when we tricked them into meeting us by the frozen lake in the town park. It's rumored that the lake is charmed. Soul mates are practically born by the lake--not entirely sure how considering I haven't exactly been blessed with a boyfriend by the lake. But when we left them there, they were practically married in 20 minutes. It was like magic! And to this day, they're inseparable.

When I look at Sandy and how she just lights up when she talks about Maxwell, I can't help but wish I had what she had. He is the perfect boyfriend: he's sweet, caring, understanding, and romantic. Oh, and he's really smart too, so whenever she has a problem, he can see right through her and try to figure out what's wrong. Now THAT'S a boyfriend!

And now looking at Bijou, I'm realizing that soon she's gonna experience the same bliss Sandy feels when she's around Max thanks to Hamtaro. I glanced over at the redhead. He wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, but he had a heart of gold and was one of the bravest, and most selfless people I had ever met. Plus, some of the funniest things I've ever heard have unintentionally come out of his mouth. I could clearly see why Bijou fell for him. He would make a good boyfriend. He'd treat her right, and put her first. He'd be clueless on what to do, but she'd teach him.

Great. Now I'm remembering why I hate this holiday so much. I could feel myself getting all emo now. I sunk into my chair and glared at the floor, my bangs hiding my eyes. I couldn't see anyone or anything, but I could clearly feel the pair of midnight-blue eyes staring at me through the rear-view mirror.

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Red and pink. Valentine's official flag colors. The ultimate two colors that combined fiery passion and delicate femininity. They were the colors of fire and cotton candy. Two complete opposites that somehow blended together to create a symbol made specifically for the delicate, yet passionate power of romance. That's kind of how love is, actually. It's heavy and stimulating, because you can literally love someone with every fiber of your being. Yet at the same time, it's sensitive and graceful. Love is thrilling, scary, tempting, wonderful, unpredictable, dangerous, spellbinding, sexy, magical and mysterious. Falling into it is like asking for a round-way trip on a never-ending roller coaster ride. Whether you will leave with a broken heart or a fairy-tale ending all depends on where it decides to take you.

"HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY, CRYS!"

I blushed out of instinct as Camille Gomez placed a handful of carnations onto my desk. "Thanks, Camille." I smiled and stared at them. Let's see…four carnations, two red and two white. That adds up my total to…12, 14 flowers?

Something I did forget to mention: I may hate the day, and be extremely jealous of the couples, but I **love **the free gifts!

I checked the card for an identification.

_**2**__**: The best badminton partner ever, Crystal!  
**__**Love**__**: Your evil twin, Pepper. :3**_

Awww, my wittle Peppers! _'Gotta remind myself to get her something extra-sweet for the party on Sunday.'_ I told myself.

As my physics teacher droned on and on about electrical molecules and lightning currents--or something like that--I tapped my pencil against my desk impatiently. Sunday was the annual Ham-Ham Valentine's Party. So far, I was halfway there with the gifts, but I needed more stuff. After all, buying 16 presents for 16 people wasn't easy. Luckily, Pepper was on my still-need-to-do list, which meant I could now get her a better present. After all, we made a badass badminton team!

Ahh, the Ham-Ham Valentine's Day Party. Boss always went all out for that one. Every year, we'd transform the clubhouse from a dark, dusty underground hangout into a Tunnel of Love. Boss adored Valentine's Day and because the clubhouse was his property, he'd make all the decisions on what he wanted hung up. After school today, the gang had the job of going to the clubhouse and start decorating for the party. I could hardly wait for Sunday to see what kind of amazing food Bijou would bring, or the lights Panda would set up for the dance floor. Something romantic or cute would always happen every year during the party. Whether it was between two of our Ham-Hams, or to someone we all knew, somehow they'd go home with a huge smile on their face, and a blush that never seemed to go away.

The bell finally rang after what felt like an eternity. I rushed to my locker, and decided to safely place Pepper's carnations along with the others. They were bundled up in plastic wrapping and lay on the top shelf of my locker. Their scent was starting to waft in my locker. I had carnations of all colors: red, white pink, yellow, orange, and even one purple. I stared at them, smiling brightly. As corny as this sounded, looking at them somehow brightened my day. It made this whole Valentine's Day a little easier to put up with. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea to carry them around with me…I could use the pick-me-up.

"Cute flowers." a smooth voice said behind me. My back stiffened and I felt shivers run up and down my body. I could feel my heart jumping up to my throat. I was afraid to turn around, just in case I'd start blushing like an idiot. But I forced myself to. When I did, I found Stan standing behind me, his hand in his pocket. The other held out a rose the color of the whitest, purest winter snow. I gasped lightly as I stared at it.

"Don't think this is your real present. After all it's not Valentine's Day yet." Stan shrugged, winking at me playfully. My knees buckled underneath me. My fingers trembled as I accepted the rose. I looked down at it, my thumb brushing the soft petals.

"It's beautiful." I told the rose, my cheeks burning. "But…white?" I looked up at Stan teasingly. "Aren't these a little more appropriate for a wedding, or a funeral?" I giggled when I saw him blush.

He rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm trying to give each of the girls a different rose color. I gave Sandy a red one, Bijou a blue one, Pepper an orange one and Pashy a pink one."

"They have blue roses?" my eyes widened.

"Trust me, they're not easy to find." Stan assured me. "Cappy sent Penelope a yellow rose for me since they're over at the elementary school. Which leaves you with a white rose." He smiled, nodding down at the flower in my hand.

I giggled once more, staring down at it. I sniffed it and admired its fresh, sweet aroma. "Well, it IS gorgeous. Thanks." I smiled and looked back up at him. I gazed into his amazing ocean-blue eyes and almost melted.

"Like I said, that's not your real gift. Trust me, I got something big planned for you." Stan winked again, his beautiful smile lighting up his entire face.

I almost squealed out loud. Instead, I held my composure. "I can't wait." I replied with a quick laugh. "So…any idea what Boss has you in charge of after school?"

"Yeah, I gotta set up the lights with Panda, Boss and Dexter. What about you?" Stan said with a sigh.

"I'm on balloon duty with Jingle and Hamtaro. Then, I gotta go with Bijou later to order the food." I told him, spinning the thorn-less rose in my hand.

"Lucky! There's nothing I'd rather do more than try gourmet samples with Princess Bijou…" Stan looked up, a dreamy look in his eyes.

I glared and punched his arm playfully. "Earth to Prince Delusional!"

"So you think I'm a prince then?"

I stuck my tongue out at him. "Yeah, a frog prince!"

Stan laughed, sending a shiver down my body. "So what are you doing tomorrow?" he asked, leaning against the lockers next to me.

I felt my heart skip a beat. _'Ohmygawd! Ohmygawd!'_ "Hmm…just going gift-shopping for the rest of the gang. Why?"

"Well….!" Stan sighed dramatically, leaning against my arm. His back was pressed against the lockers. "I'm going shopping for a _**certain **_present tomorrow and I need advice from a _**certain **_girl on what I should get!" He looked into my eyes, his face only inches away, and pouted. "And I could _**really **_use the help."

I almost dropped the rose due to my fingers shaking so much. The touch of his skin had sent shock waves into my veins and having his body so close to me had left mine temporarily paralyzed. I was glued to the floor and his big baby blue's had sucked me in like a vacuum cleaner. He stared at me innocently, without a clue that something as simple as a glance could put me under such an unbreakable spell. Adrenaline rushed through my body, tempting me to do things I could never even imagine doing to anyone else.

Remember what I said before about what love felt like? Well, yeah, this guy here has put me through just about every emotion imaginable. He makes me the happiest I've ever been, and he's made me cry myself to sleep at night more than anyone else. He makes me laugh until my stomach hurts, and he's made me so angry, I just wanna reach over and punch his face in for no reason. He can calm me down or rile me up in a millisecond. Not a day goes by without him crossing my mind. He turns me into an obsessive fan-girl with something as simple as a hand wave.

It's funny because he knows me better than anyone else. He can read me like a book, and see right through me. If something as careless as a test bothers me, he can see it in my eyes. Yet, I've been somehow able to hide my single, biggest secret from him. The one secret he can never know, no matter the circumstances. If I stared at him with lovesick eyes, he'd never be able to tell and think something's screwed loose in my head. If I held his hand or touched his arm, he wouldn't realize it's because I simply want to feel the sensation of his skin against mine. He'd think it's because I'm scared or something and I need comfort.

It's a heavy burden really, being in love with your best friend. You carry it with you like iron shackles, your mouth taped shut and your emotions locked in a steel cage. The worst part is, you can't confide in anyone with your secret because it's about the same person you supposedly tell everything to. You're held back by fear and anxiety. During the day, you walk around with a big smile on your face, practically glowing when he's with you. And then at night, when no one is around, your true emotions come out like a knife cut. The blood pours out and you feel this intense pain that can only be subdued by crying your heart out. And it never goes away either, it simply stays in your gut, building up inside you every once in a while. I've stared out the window at night with hot tears running down my face, just praying that somehow this burden can be lifted off my shoulders. It's torture, knowing that you're hiding something from him, and no matter how much you want to tell him, that paralyzing, cold-blooded fear holds you back because deep down inside, you know he can never return your feelings. He can never feel the same intense love you have for him.

"Weeeellllll….!" I finally looked away, a teasing smile on my face. I lifted the white rose in my hand and held it between our faces. "…as much fun as that sounds, I'm gonna need a ride to the mall! After all, I have no car to transport me from place to place!"

"How is it you don't have a car yet?" Stan stared at me. "Your dad is a bajillionaire, and he can't even get you something as useful as a car?"

"He's not THAT rich! Plus, he knows I'm a horrible driver. Remember what I did to the Cadillac last year?" I cringed, my mind flashing back to the worst 3 months of my life.

Stan shuddered next to me. "Those were the longest 3 months ever." he muttered. "BUT! Since you need a ride that bad, I'll gladly escort you!"

"Fantastic! Pick me up tomorrow at 9:30!" I smiled brightly.

Stan's face fell a little. "A.M.?"

I glared a little. "Don't be lazy, Stanley! Besides, we have a lot of shopping to do if you want the perfect gift!" I whirled around, shutting my locker. Stan whined from behind me.

"But I don't wanna get up so damn early! It's a Saturdayyy!" Stan pouted once more, his face identical to that of an angry 3-year-old.

"And Valentine's Day is on a _**Sunday**_." I reminded him. "You want the perfect gift, you'll have to search high and low for it. I'm pretty sure all the good stuff is gone by now."

A warning bell rang, it's shrill noise reminding us of where we should be. Stan stood up straight, sighing. "I guess then I should go. So, 9:30?"

"A.M." I nodded with a triumphant smile, making Stan frown in disappointment. I turned around and began to walk down the hallway, when suddenly Stan called my name.

I froze when I felt his hand on my arm. His warmth instantly set off fireworks in my chest. Stan looked down at me, and smiled. "Look, I know how much you hate this whole 'valentines' thing, so…I really appreciate you helping me out. And for the record…you don't **have **to be alone on Valentine's Day!"

'_Stop smiling at me, you jackass! Can't you see I die a little inside every time you smile at me like that?!' _

"Of course." I nodded. "And thank you."

Stan smiled once more and squeezed my arm before turning around and heading down the opposite direction. His soft, auburn hair seemed to bounce in the air as he took each step.

I needed a moment or so to regain the feeling back in my legs. As kids passed me in the halls, desperate to make it to class on time, I stared down at the snow-white rose in my hand. My eyes softened as I cradled the precious flower in my hand. I couldn't help but feel special thanks to this rose. After all, when he saw it, he thought of me. And right now, there was nothing on this earth that could thrill me more than knowing that I was on his mind.

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"The clubhouse looks beautiful!" Pashmina sighed in awe as Crystal approached her happily. The beautiful blonde looked around at the amazing job the Ham-Hams had done decorating their underground clubhouse.

"I know! We've totally like, outdone ourselves this time!" Sandy squealed next to her. The redhead admired the orange paper rose placed in the center of their table.

It was Sunday morning, the day of the party. The girls had claimed a spot in the corner of the room for themselves in order to discuss the many different events they'd probably run into during the night, like boyfriend drama, the awesome gifts they got, the pretty flowers someone sent them, and the occasional wardrobe malfunction(every year, at least one of the girls always got something on their perfect dress, or skirt--it was practically Ham-Ham tradition at this point).

Bijou, Pashmina, Sandy and Penelope were taking off their coats and gushing over each other's outfits as Boss and some of the boys got everything set. Crystal had just arrived and was now partaking in their girlish antics.

"Awww, Crys! You look so cute!"

"_Oui! _Zhat dress eez beautiful!"

"Who'd a' thought **you'd **dress up for Valentine's Day of all people!"

Crystal blushed as she stared down at her outfit. She was wearing a sleeveless metallic red dress with a V-shaped neckline that hugged her curves and reached a few inches above her knees. Black tights protected her slender legs from the bitter-cold weather outside, and she wore red pumps. Her brown hair was let down from its ponytail, and she had a red headband with a small red bow attached to the side behind her bangs.

"Well, I figured it'd be nice to at least dress up." Crystal folded her arms across her chest, showing off her sparkly red bracelet. "Just cause I don't support this holiday, doesn't mean I can't at least have fun with my wardrobe. Besides, red looks nice on me."

Pashmina giggled. "Don't be pessimistic, Crystal. You're a gorgeous girl, you'll find someone in no time!"

Crystal's eyes momentarily flashed in flinching pain before she blinked and planted a smile on her face. She looked down at Pashmina's one-shoulder baby-pink cocktail dress and white heels. Of course the girl could pull off something as sexy as that while still looking sweet and innocent. Crystal couldn't help but feel jealous as she watched Pashmina toy with a strand of her perfect, Barbie-blonde hair. They complimented her seafoam eyes perfectly.

"...For the last time, Pepper, who the heck is this Edward guy? And why does he sparkle? Does he play with a lot of art supplies?"

Bijou suddenly lit up when she saw Hamtaro walk through the door with Oxnard and Pepper. "Hi, Hamtaro!" she squealed, rushing over to him. Hamtaro smiled when he saw her.

"Aren't those two just the cutest things you've ever seen?!" Crystal cooed. Sandy and Pashmina sighed dreamily in agreement. Bijou was wearing a white halter-top dress with a red belt tied around the waist and red Mary Jane heels. She had put away her regular blue ribbons and had tied red ribbons around her trademark pigtails.

Sandy meanwhile, had opted to dress a little more casual than the others. She was in a simple black top tucked in a red high-waisted tiered skirt. She wore gray tights and black pumps. Her flaming red hair was also loose and barely brushed her shoulders. A bobby pin with a red satin bow was tucked in her hair.

Pepper hugged Bijou as they said hello and began to giggle amongst each other. Pepper was in a similar outfit was well, with a black party skirt and a cute, red long-sleeve top. She wore no tights and was had on short, black ankle boots. Her hair was still in her long braided pigtails.

"Ohmygosh, you guys! You'll never guess what Oxy got me for Valentine's Day!" Pepper gushed as she ran up to the group.

"What? What?" the girls chorused. Not too far away, Penelope was chasing Cappy around as she loudly demanded he give back her headband.

"Look!" Pepper suddenly held up a diamond heart-shaped necklace that was already hung around her neck.

The girls squealed and "OMG'd! in unison.

"It's GORGEOUS!"

"Woooowwwwwww!

"Pepper!!!! You are SOOOOO lucky!"

"I know! He gave it to me this morning! HOW awesome is that?!" Pepper was grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Awww, you guys are gonna be together forever!" Crystal gushed excitedly. This caused Pepper to blush furiously.

"Hey, Sandy! Show her your gift from Maxwell!" Bijou encouraged Sandy by nudging her. The redhead responded by blushing and looking down.

"Biiiij! You're embarrassing me." she whined.

"No, come on Sands! Show it to her!" Crystal and Pashmina coaxed.

"Alright, alright!" Sandy giggled and reached into a gift bag she had on the floor. "Max gave this to me right before the party." When she stood up, she was holding a silver heart-shaped box. The name "Sandy" was engraved in the center of the box. Sandy opened the box, and a little doll on a pedestal popped out. The doll looked like a mini-version of Sandy with short amber hair, wearing a green-and-white shirt and white pleated skirt and spinning a red gymnastics ribbon. As the doll began to spin on the pedestal, a slow, sweet melody began to play from the box. Pepper recognized it as one of Sandy's favorite lullabies.

"Oh…oh my gosh! Sandy, that's amazing!" Pepper gasped out. "She looks just like you, she even has your little pigtail!" She brought her fists to her chin, her posture that of an ecstatic fan-girl.

"I know! I can't believe how detailed it is!" Sandy squealed, her cheeks glowing. "Maxy really went all-out this year!"

"That is like, the CUTEST thing I've ever seen!" Pashmina sighed. Suddenly, something made of glass broke from around the corner.

"THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" Cappy and Penelope's voices yelled out simultaneously.

Pashmina sighed impatiently, knowing what that meant. "Be right back…" she muttered before taking off.

"Wow, Sandy! He is **SO **romantic!" Pepper cooed.

"I know, I know!" Stan suddenly draped his arms around Sandy and Crystal. "But please, feel free to praise me some more!"

Sandy rolled her eyes and slapped him off. Crystal hesitated a little bit longer before doing the same thing.

"We're not talking about YOU, Stanley! We're talking about Maxy and how he gave me this ah-**mazing** music box!" the redhead twirled a strand of her shoulder-length hair around her finger.

Stan studied it for a moment before shrugging. "Eh. It's cute I guess." he said, pretending to not be impressed, although his defensive body language spoke otherwise.

"You're not jealous, are you Stan?" Bijou's eyes narrowed at him teasingly.

Stan huffed. "Course not! As a matter of fact, I got a pretty frickin' awesome gift for **my **girl as well!" he glanced over at Crystal and gave her a flirty wink.

Saturday's shopping quest with Stan and Crystal for the perfect gift had surprisingly gone well. From the second they walked through the entrance doors, Crystal went in full-on "ZOMG-Let's-Go-Shoppiiiiiinnngg!" mode, grabbing Stan's hand and dragging him into the cutest, frilliest, and deepest girly depths of the Underworld. From Wet Seal to American Eagle, Stan was exposed to a never-ending cycle of pink, fuzzy walls, rows and rows of rainbow-colored outfits, toxic perfume samples, creepy stuffed animals, overlydramatic middle-school girls with an unhealthy obsession for some fictional, shirtless werewolf, and of course, radios that seemed to constantly play the same songs over and over again by the Anti-Christ of music himself--Justin Beiber.

Had Stan stayed any longer, he feared he would've grown a vagina and started crying for no reason, whining incoherently about boys, and make-up, and feeling fat because "those really cute jeans at Forever 21 don't fit anymore."

However, it wasn't all bad. After all, he had gotten to stare at wall pictures of hot girls in push-up bras for half an hour while Crystal browsed through the lotions and perfumes at Victoria's Secret. Then, she got sidetracked and started looking for some new pajamas, much to Stan's liking…

The pair spent hours browsing store-by-store, even going to 3 different shopping malls, before Crystal's eye caught something she couldn't stop staring at. It was a beautiful Juicy Couture watch with a hot-pink strap, emerald-cut crystals engraved around the surface and silverstone Roman numerals. Stan eventually pried her off the window display before continuing on with their adventure. By the end of the day, Stan had finally gone home, sore, exhausted and practically giddy over the red-and-pink striped gift bag he had brought home with him. Inside, was a present even **he **was surprised he was able to find on such short notice.

Crystal smiled at him and giggled, more than happy to have been such a great help. Love didn't have a price, but the presents they got sure as hell did. Thankfully they had a savior who spoke their language by the name of Visa and/or MasterCard.

"Gee, I sure can't wait to like, see it bro!" Sandy smirked at him. She had put away the treasured music box and was now folding her arms across her chest.

Stan mimicked her gesture. "It is gonna blow your jukebox out of the water, sis." he told her.

"Mm…" Sandy glared at her brother, her arms crossed tighter.

"Hm…" Stan's eyes narrowed into little slits, their gaze now heating up with determined rivalry. Bijou could only hide behind Crystal and watch with frightened eyes as sparks began to fly from their angered eyes and flames began to randomly grow in the background.

Minutes later, the party began to really take off. Jingle placed himself on the deejay booth, and gladly began playing music for the dance floor. Despite being busy the entire time, he managed to take a break, and steal a dance with Pashmina while Oxnard took his place. Bijou's entrees were an instant hit among her fellow Ham-Hams. This year, she had brought Chicken Cordon Bleu and mashed potatoes, hot chocolate soufflé, upside down apple tart, pain au chocolat, and some of her famous homemade blueberry crepes with powdered sugar and whipped cream. The gang shared a lot of laughs and played plenty of games and "friendly" dance competitions.

The couples had their fair share of private time alone to be with each other. Even Bijou had managed to pry Hamtaro away from the food for a few minutes to be outside with him. Crystal couldn't help but watch all of this with a churning stomach and a sick punch in her gut. Even little Penelope had someone on Valentine's Day. Although it wasn't official, or even considered a romantic relationship, the gang was convinced that someday, Cappy and Penelope would make an adorable couple.

From her seat in the corner of the room, she glanced over at Oxnard, who was slow-dancing with Pepper. She lived 300 miles away, yet it didn't seem to make a difference in the strength of the bond they shared. She noticed how Oxnard was 1,000 times happier around her. He would literally light up when she walked in the door. His gray eyes danced with such pure joy, it was impossible to not smile. Crystal was overjoyed for her friend. She was glad he was able to spend such an important day with Pepper, considering the limited time they had with each other. Despite the grin on her face though, Crystal's heart thumped a little painfully. She hated being the only single girl of the bunch…

'_I wish Nikki was here…then again, she'd probably have a date in about ten minutes and take off with him.' _

"Ahem." Crystal looked up to see Boss smirking down at her. He held out a hand at her. "I believe **you **owe me a dance. Remember that little bet we made from the last dance-off?"

Crystal laughed softly, staring up at his warm chocolate-brown eyes. "Oh yeah…I believe I do." She gracefully accepted his hand and allowed the older teen to lead her to the dance floor. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Stan suddenly staring at their conjoined hands from across the room. For a second, she swore she saw a flash of what almost looked like jealousy glaze over his eyes.

For the rest of the day, Crystal danced with some of the single guys, and happily snacked on Bijou's dishes. Despite her rut, her friends managed to drag her out of it. She found herself having more fun that she had expected. And then of course, there was her favorite part of any party: the presents. Countless gifts were passed around and hugs were received. Crystal loved hearing the gasps and squeals when her friends opened their gifts in front of her. And then there were the smiles of course. With the friends she had, it almost made her forget that today was supposedly a day for couples to shine a light on their love and make those singles feel inferior to them.

Well, almost.

"_Psst._" Suddenly, Stan's voice hissed into Crystal's ears. She turned around, her eyes landing on his gorgeous, smiling face. "Psst, babe. Come here. There's something I want you to see."

(\/)(")(")

**_There were many reasons I hated Valentine's Day, and the two biggest ones were standing right in front of me. For the umpteenth time that day, I felt my fragile heart sink._**

"Stan, will you please stop dragging me like that?"

"I'm sorry, but this is important! Plus, I don't want any of the others seeing this!" Stan's hand was clasped firmly on hers, his warm, gentle fingers pulling her away from the wooden door leading to the clubhouse underground. By now, the sun was starting to set over the horizon. The usually gray and bleak February skies were now a warm blend of orange, blue and pink. Birds sang their last songs as they fled to their hiding spots to rest for the night. The slightest sounds of crickets chirped in the air, as they eagerly awaited the rising moon. Patches of snow littered the dead, frozen grass below their shoes.

They stood under an oak tree, its branches naked without their thriving green leaves.

"Okay, we're here! Now what is it that you wanted so badly?" her seafoam eyes sparkled, the sunset reflecting off their beautiful color. Stan could feel his lungs failing on him as he tried to breathe.

He cleared his throat as he fiddled with his fingers. "W-Well…" he began, taking her hands into hers.

She stared at their hands, her soft cheeks reddening. "Stan…?"

"Well, since it's Valentine's Day, I figured that perhaps I should give you something a little more than just a dozen roses, like I do every year for every Ham-Ham girl. Look, I…I-I know I got this reputation for being a Casanova, and for being this annoying, flirty pest that follows pretty girls around the mall, and occasionally gets pepper-sprayed for sneaking up on girls from behind…but, I don't want you to doubt me, even for one second. We've known each other now for a while, and I know you've got your opinions of me. But I really like you, and I wanna try and do something special for you. You know, to show that I'm serious about us, and…to thank you as well for giving me a chance."

She stared back at him with wide, starstruck eyes. "You do…?" she gasped out.

He nodded, a blush creeping up on his cheeks. He released their hands, and reached for something behind the oak tree. There was a slight rustle as he searched through the bushes. She watched curiously, her heart thumping excitedly in her chest. She bit her lower lip, trying hard not to chew on the soft, pink flesh. After a moment or so, he stood up straight, a pink-and-red striped gift bag in his hand.

There was a fresh, pink rose taped to it.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Pashmina."

"Awww, Stan, you shouldn't have!" the beautiful blonde lit up and eagerly took the gift bag.

"Why not? Today's the perfect day for gifts! Besides, anything for my girl!" Stan chuckled and winked at her.

Pashmina opened up the bag and pulled out the wrappings until she found her mystery gift. "Ooooh!" she cooed as her hands grasped the hot pink Victoria's Secret tote bag inside. "Wow, it's so cute!" Pashmina exclaimed excitedly.

"Look inside it." Stan nodded towards the purse.

Pashmina tilted her head in confusion but did as she was told. She zipped the bag open and pulled out a Burberry cashmere pink plaid scarf. She stroked it and found that her name _**'Pashmina Alyson Mafura' **_was stitched on the ends for her. "Oh, wow a new scarf! And its got my name on it! Ohhh, it's so soft and cute!" The blonde cuddled the scarf to her chest. "How did you know?"

Stan laughed softly. "What can I say, I know my girl!" He took the scarf and gently placed it around Pashmina's neck, causing her to blush. "Actually, it was Crys' idea to get you a personal scarf. I hope you like it."

"Like it? Oh, Stan, I love it! Thank you soooo much!" Pashmina squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck. Stan smiled and hugged her back, holding her close. He then planted a kiss on her forehead.

"Happy Valentine's Day, babe."

A few yards away, a brunette teenager watched the entire scene unfold before her eyes. She forced a smile as she watched her two best friends share a sweet hug under the old oak tree. The sun was vanishing over the horizon behind them. They seemed so perfect for each other.

Suddenly, she felt a throbbing pang in her chest as Stan looked into her eyes. She could feel every inch of her body start to shake and wobble. She began to gasp in air and swallow lumps in her throat that came out of nowhere. She wanted to vomit and scream and throw a tantrum. She could feel her heart literally break into a million pieces once again. Her inner-voice began to scream a million different things at her.

Finally, Crystal looked down, the sight becoming too much for her. She squeezed her eyes shut and turned around. Her back pressed up against the bark of the tree she was hiding behind. Her hands curled up into two quivering fists. Her nails dug into her cold skin. Suddenly, the party didn't matter anymore. She no longer wanted to be inside with her friends. Nor with Stan. Nor with Nikki. She just wanted--scratch that, she **needed **to be alone.

'_Stan is so happy with her. I could never make him look at me like that, or hold me like that. Pashmina. She's so pretty and sweet and gorgeous… She's so gosh-damn perfect. Perfect for him. -_**sigh- **_He deserves her. He needs someone who will make him happy. And if Stan is happy, then I guess I should be happy as well. _

_But then again, if I'm supposed to be happy, then why do I feel like I'm about to crash and burn from the inside-out. Why do I wanna scream as loud as I possibly can, and throw around anything I can get my hands on? Why is my heart shattering into a million pieces and scattering all over the floor like a broken mirror? Why do I just wanna curl up into a ball and cry until my body dehydrates itself from all the tears I shed? God, it hurts so much, I can literally feel my heart throbbing in excruciating pain._

_Why did I hook them up together? Why did I have to go and make her fall for him? Or better yet, why did he have to be so gosh-damn amazing, and make her fall for him? God I hate myself so much. Why did I play cupid for the guy I'm hopelessly in love with? He's happy with her, but I'm miserable without him!'_

She sighed once more, her eyes still shut tight. Her world was pitch-black, yet images from her memory danced before her. She heard Pashmina laugh, and she literally shuddered. "God, I hate Valentine's day." she muttered under her breath.

The wind began to pick up, blowing mercilessly around the shaking girl. With her eyes still closed, she tucked her hands in her coat, and began to walk out of the park. She stepped on the sidewalk and began taking her route home. Yes, she had left her presents at the clubhouse, but knowing Boss, he'd find a way to bring them home to her. And knowing her friends, she knew they'd demand an explanation as to why she left so early. She'd give them an excuse later.

Her brown hair began to dance in the wind, her chocolate strands swirling around her porcelain face. Her steps were slow and paced, despite the fact that she was dying inside. Stan's image burned in her mind like a hot iron. When she finally opened her eyes, there were hot tears threatening to spill over.

She loved him. So much. But she knew that as long as there was a certain blonde holding his hand and making him smile like she had never seen him smile before, then the best thing for her to do was to simply walk away. Walk away and hope that someday she could find someone, or **_something _**who could heal her broken heart. Perhaps someday the burden will just…go away. Maybe someday, she'll be free to move on with her life, or at least find a way to heal. In the meantime, she'd just have to endure the pain of losing her best friend to her other best friend.

The wind picked up again, slapping her cold face. She blinked, and the tears flew out of her pained aquamarine eyes. However, a stray tear found its way down her cheek. She didn't wipe it away, instead she simply sniffled and allowed more tears to roll down her face. They would be the first of many tears she'd cry that night, so why bother?

Crystal wasn't sure how long it took her to get home, but when she did, she couldn't be happier to find somewhere to hide from the rest of the world. She ran straight to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. As she rushed to her soft, comforting bed, the sobs beginning to grow in her throat, her eye suddenly spotted something unfamiliar. She stopped and stared. On her table was a vase of pink roses and white daisies, her two favorite flowers. And laying next to them was a small red box.

Wiping the tears so she could see more clearly, Crystal walked towards the table. She picked up the box, and saw the card underneath it.

_**You owe me 195 bucks. ;) Just kidding. Happy V-Day, Crys. Love you kid.  
**__**-Stan.**_

Stunned, Crystal opened the box. For a moment, she stood perfectly still. Then, despite her falling tears, she let out a warmhearted laugh.

"Wow…it's just as gorgeous as it was on the window display…!"

Reaching inside the box, she pulled out the Juicy Couture watch and stroked it gently with her fingers. She smiled, and went back to her bed to try it on.

(\/)(")(")

* * *

**A/N: And it is finished!!! No, Crystal did not get together with Stan. Sorry! But at least she got the watch she wanted! Oh well, there's always next year... =/ So yeah, there was my lame attempt at an angsty love story. PLEASE review and be nice! And don't take it out on Pashmina, she's too innocent and nice. xD Again, sorry for the delay. Happy belated V-Day!**

**Muah! Lots of love! **

**Crystalgurl101 :) **


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